The Searching
by Chronus
Summary: Lost his family in minutes and torn apart, Anton Rembrandt goes on a desperate pursuit to find Benoit Bardem the murderer. Through his searching, he reveals some secrets of Bardem which better be remain unspoken...
1. The Sudden Death

I

Anton Rembrandt was a man of middle height with long, curly black hair and a beard merged with his sideburns in the same color of his hair. His eyes were brown and his nose was not too big. He was well built and wasn't too muscular; however his appearance was charismatic enough.

One day Anton was in an Eastern European tavern with his friends. They were fiercely discussing an issue with sudden blows of laughter which drew attention of the other clients. The bartender was a cute woman with long, blonde hair and blue eyes. Her slim but curvy body always took the assiduity of Anton and his friends.

At the peaks of Anton's yearning times, he always looked for an opportunity to get her. Indeed, the day was not one of these. He was just looking to catch her eyes without any desires of sexual encounter, only a weak and deep feeling of love.

When he felt he totally lost his attention to the discussing, he stood up and said goodbye to his friends. Their feeling of surprise was well-known by Anton; he had predicted this insistence for his staying would occur. However he was ready to place a well excuse, and succeed the 'evasion'.

He walked through the paved roads and began to climb a slope surrounded with a variety of plants. The evening breeze began to touch his skin, he wasn't feeling disturbed. He always liked this soothing and cooling wind.

When he arrived to the doorstep of the cottage he shared with his family, he saw the door opened with force and there were voices of panic coming from deep inside. He drew his wand quickly and rushed through the house.

A slim man with a determined face without any facial hair except well trimmed sideburns was looking at them with furious black eyes. His short and wavy black hair was moving as he spoke. He had a French accent.

"Your debt must be paid Lucian! I think I gave you enough time to settle the things…"

The man was holding a wand with his bony, long-fingered hands. He seemed to have no mercy with a sensible urge to kill. Anton raised his wand and asked with a threatening voice:

"Who are you? What are you seeking?"

The man turned to Anton, looked him with the same ferocity, there was no changing in his determined expression. Anton's voice didn't seem to have any effect. With his French accent he replied with a question:

"Who are you supposed to be? I think this must be your son, Lucian?"

"Y… Yes Benoit"

His father was full of fear; Anton had never seen this tough man of this little Eastern European town like this before. Anton opened his mouth to say something, but he couldn't as the man named Benoit acted suddenly.

"This is none of his business"

He made a sudden movement with his wand; Anton flew out of the room. He shut the door and made it a rigid body. Anton was pushing to open, he pointed his wand and casted the Alohomora Charm. However it did not work.

Everything was visible through the little door window. Benoit was shouting and Anton's mother Sylvia entered the scene. She was supporting Lucian, Benoit was angry. Anton pointed his wand again and shouted: "REDUCTO!"

The door didn't even budge. Benoit seemed to cast a high level protection spell. Anton attempted for eavesdropping. The spell worked, Benoit was shouting with fury:

"Lucian, you gambled with me, you offered it and you lost everything. Even this house belongs to me, but I am merciful enough not to throw you out! I am here for a little payment that you must have prepared an amount larger than I ask!"

"But I am telling you, I have nothing. It was a deal! You promised to take it when I accumulated it!"

"Yes I did, but I have the right to change the conditions. And I want 50 Galleons right now!"

Anton's mother took a few steps to Benoit, she pointed her finger to him, and her blue eyes were burning with anger, "Why are you so far away from understanding? We don't have the money, you cannot change the conditions if we cannot fulfill them!" she said.

Benoit frowned, "Sylvia, I appreciate your guardianship for your useless husband. But, as everything lies here already belong to me, these are vestigial words to spill. You can't question my actions with this manner of anger" he said.

Anton was looking for alternative ways as the charm was still bringing the voices from the room. The room was within the perimeter of a high level spell which Anton had never seen or tried to dispel. He was so desperate; he was praying that the argument may end in a peaceful way.

He ran back to the door of the room hoping for an opportunity to get in the room and incapacitate Benoit. His father drew his wand with a sudden movement, "Benoit, we can settle this without a fight. But you are going too far. I cannot lend you Sylvia till I prepare the payment!" he shouted.

Suddenly Benoit's face became twisted with anger, "You are resisting in a way which is not righteous! I'm the one who will make demands, and you are not the one to question them!" he said, he raised his wand, "Don't try to settle this through fighting, everybody knows I'm better, much better!"

Sylvia pulled her wand too, "You can't behave like this. We are nor seeking to fight neither running away from payment. You can come anytime, we are not going anywhere and we promised to pay. What drove you mad like this?" she asked.

Benoit's face changed to the same determined manner from the twisted one, "I said, I preserve my rights to change conditions" his voice was surprisingly calm, "and I'm asking what I should have asked before. Just 50 Galleons! I need it bad, and I cannot retrieve it from anywhere!" He said.

Lucian asked: "But we don't have it, we can't give it to you. Why should we hide it from you?".

Benoit lost his temper, "THEN GIVE ME SYLVIA! Your wife will serve me until you find 50 Galleons" he said with fury. "But you cannot ask me to do this! How do you expect me to fulfill this request?" Lucian said.

"I'm not responsible from the following then… Benoit Bardem is not known with his forgiveness to treachery"

Benoit raised his wand, Anton tried everything to get in but he failed in every attempt. Lucian and Sylvia tried to curse Benoit, however he moved his hand like he is holding a whip and with a sudden blinding illumination both curses missed him.

He moved his hand in the same way creating the same effect and left both of them disarmed with a dense feeling of shock and surprise. "I've warned you Rembrandts, "He said, "I never wanted to settle this through magical abilities"

He looked at Lucian's face, than Sylvia's and he said with a low voice: "I'm sorry to do this, but there is no other way to have your possessions…"

Anton was shouting from his place, trying to stop him. However he was the only one to hear his screams. He heard Benoit's voice full of hate, anger and contempt:

"AVADA KEDAVRA!"

Lucian flew through the room lifelessly, Sylvia screamed with pain. As she was reaching for him, Benoit stroke again:

"AVADA KEDAVRA!"

The jet of green light caught her with a cold embrace. She fell without any connection to the world she stood seconds ago; she fell like an empty bag. Anton was full of pain; he couldn't know what to do. The obstructing spell lifted as Benoit Disapparated from the scene with a victorious smile.


	2. Grief & Urge

II

Anton was in a total shock, he froze where he stood. He was in a terrible state. His emotions were like a badly mixed emulsion. He couldn't choose what to feel; anger for Benoit, grief for parents, surprised for these events and lost for what was taken from him in minutes…

He sat down with a sudden movement, he held his head with his left hand, and his wand was still held by his right. He took a quick look to it, he remembered his desperation during his attempts to break the obstruction that Benoit put between him and his family.

His father wasn't a well known gambler, it was not his habit. He only tried it for fun, with little amounts of money. Anton was wondering how come he lost that much, and put that much at stake of course. He wished that he could talk to his parents for a limited time before they were gone

He stood up, stepped into the room he watched everything from its exterior, passed through the door thinking it would still be impossible to do. He looked at his mother, her red hair, white skin, small nose and full lips… She was too far away from dying.

Then his father, tall but a little bit fat, raven hair and a beard known by aristocrats… Anton felt death wasn't fit for them, he could never imagine them like this. The green jets of light didn't agree with Anton like their owner Benoit.

He was thinking of Benoit's determined expression. He asked himself with anger and curiosity that how he could be so uncompromising and ruthless. He didn't show any aspect of mercy to Anton's parents. He turned his back to his parents with anger, he ran out of the house to call for help.

***

After an hour, Anton was sitting in front of his cottage. He had never felt so alone like this before. He was still in the same feeling of shock. His mind was struggling to accept that a man appeared suddenly to tear his life apart.

The blonde woman from the tavern appeared, she was gently walking the way to Anton's house. She was wearing a travelling cloak in blue; her eyes were looking sharp that Anton stopped thinking for a while. Her odor was intoxicating.

She sat an empty chair, close to Anton's and remained silent for a while. Then she broke the silence: "I feel terribly sorry about Lucian and Sylvia; I know their meaning to you". Anton didn't reply, he was thinking sentences like this don't have any value.

"And I know this is so unacceptable"

Anton glanced at her and said: "You're right; a wizard comes out of nowhere and takes away everything that made you". She nodded, "But you can't choose the time of losing everything. You can't arrange the dates of birth or death. So this wasn't your choice" she said.

"I know… But I had to be stronger! I had the power to break his enchantments and stop him. But his knowledge of magical lore was so different. I've encountered wizards before, fought them… But I couldn't even fight him; he took me out of the track and didn't budge to let me in"

"Who was the man? Do you know him?" she asked; her voice was soothing that Anton felt some part of his anger suddenly ceased. He replied: "No, I've never seen him before until this day. I think his name was Benoit Bardem… "

"Benoit Bardem was here?" she asked with surprise. Anton glanced her, "Do you know him?" he asked with the same feeling. "Yes, he was a teacher in Beauxbatons. They expelled him because of practicing Dark Magic secretly" she replied kindly.

"Has it been too long?" Anton asked, the blonde woman looked him in the eye, "Almost a year, his workshop was discovered by a student. So he ran away with his belongings and the Ministry of Magic is after him I suppose"

"I understand," Anton replied, "he said he had gambled with my father and came to retrieve his winning prizes…" The woman looked him with the same expression, her eyes were bright, and "Benoit Bardem is a master gambler and a good persuader, I think he convinced your father to play his game" she said.

"What is his game?"

"I think he invented it, I don't know the rules, however he crafted it so well that it always makes you feel you will be the winner next and grants you a desire to win more or compensate your losses. He is the master of the game, so he knows how to win"

Anton was imagining the moments that his father gone low on willpower to resist Benoit's offers. He must have nearly hypnotized Lucian with his words and the game made him win everything. Anton looked at her, "Do you know any way to find him?" he asked.

"No, I just eye witnessed his gambling and heard the rumors about him. I've never had any chat or another encounter of that kind with him. I think he will be wandering through Europe, and you know he is good in Apparition. Tracking him is not my capability"

Anton checked her eyes again wishing that he could be a master of Legilimency, "Do you know anyone might be close to him?" he asked. The woman replied with her same soothing voice: "I suggest you to look into my tavern; he visited there once and defeated many in gambling. He seemed to have a friend around. But I don't know who…"

"I will check the tavern then"

Anton stood up, so did the blonde woman. She hugged Anton. He inhaled her odor deeply, he felt a strong lust to kiss her; but he managed to maintain his control. "Don't release…" she said and they sank through a suffocating darkness.

They were standing in front of the tavern the blonde woman worked as a bartender. She opened the wooden door with a gentle push, Anton followed her. Some of the townsfolk were there, they greeted Anton gently, and Anton bowed.

One of his friends, Andrei, stood up and came before him, and said: "Anton, I feel very sad about Lucian and Sylvia. You know, they were like my parents too". Anton put his hand on Andrei's shoulder, "I know brother, I know" he replied.

"Killing Curse, I suppose… Who was the attacker?" Andrei asked, Anton replied with no hesitation: "Benoit Bardem, the expelled Beuxbatons lecturer." Andrei looked at him with a curious manner, "You mean that gambler!" he shouted; most of the clients turned their heads.

"Yeah... So did you lose against him too?"

Andrei, with a feeling of shame, replied: "Yes, that bastard knows how to play his game"

"Let me ask you a question?" Anton said with a captivating tone.

"Yes…"

"Would you like to help me in searching?"


	3. Visions

III

Andrei was confused; his face was expressing his mental state, "In searching what?" he asked. Anton looked him like he should have known it, "Of course the bastard who robbed you!" he said. Andrei seemed he couldn't fully understand, "Search Bardem? Do you think finding him will be possible?" he asked.

"It won't be an easy street," Anton said "indeed I have to try it. I need to find him!"Andrei looked at him and didn't reply, he didn't believe what he heard. "You want to encounter him again?" he said, "He is a murderer, he can kill you too!"

"But I can't let him go on loose like this! I need to ask him why he is so merciless and make him pay for tearing my life apart!"

"I understand what you're feeling right now," Andrei said, "this is so unfair and so cruel. You want to avenge your parents, but finding him is impossible. Also fighting him will be insane! You may not stand a chance against him!"

"You're a friend of mine and I need allies for my cause. I will not turn back from this path, I will find him and destroy everything belongs to him. You have a binary choice, come with me or stay away. There is no way to persuade me in this"

Anton's determination was so certain that Andrei didn't fight it anymore, "Okay, you are a brother to me. I cannot betray you, I will do what I can" he said. Anton answered: "I appreciate it, do you have any idea who can be his friend?"

At that moment another friend of Anton's got inside the tavern, he was Mladen, he looked at Anton and Andrei the well built man with black hair and eyes almost as tall as Anton. He ran and gave Anton a hug, hit him on the back and said: "I'm sorry brother, do you have any idea who is responsible?"

Andrei answered instead of Anton: "Yeah, that Bardem guy…"Mladen's expression changed into an angry one, "The Bardem? Oh, he has gone too far this time… Robbing us is nothing, but killing in this little town is too much for him" he said.

"And I'm going to find him" Anton said changing Mladen's expression again, "Oh," he said, he felt fear "Find him? Then what, fight him?" Anton nodded and Mladen shouted: "You can't! You can't fight him! He is too treacherous, he will figure out the way to win unfairly!"

"I have no choice; I must learn the reason why. The true reason…" Anton said. Andrei interrupted: "I understand your bereavement, but it is just not sane to go against him! Let the guys of law accomplish this!"

"NO!"

Anton's scream was out of control and way too loud. People in the tavern looked at him with fear, some of them stood up. Anton waved his hands and said: "Everyone calm down please, I lost my temper, I'm sorry…"

He watched them to return their conversations and drinks. Then he turned back to his friends, "I need support. I cannot go alone, searching him. But my encounter will be one on one. Just help me please!" he said.

Mladen nodded, "Okay, if you say so I think you are righteous and need help. I will inform Zaria about this" he said and hit Anton on the back again. Anton shook his head and said: "Your sister doesn't have to get involved"

"Oh yes she does, yes-she-does!" Mladen said with a determined voice, "She will help you and do it by heart". "Thank you, then" Anton replied kindly, "I will wait you to get your belongings. Do you think Cecilia and Aurel would join us?"

Mladen and Andrei looked each other and Andrei answered: "Cecilia and Aurel might join you too, we will look around. Wait for our sign, you know the enchantment?"

"Yeah," said Anton, "_Chiamatale, _I suppose?"

"You're right" Andrei said, "We will send our sign and you will see if we are ready, ok?"

"Ok"

His friends left him and he sat down in an empty chair. The blonde woman came near him again; "Seeking revenge, forming your gang?" she asked, she was lukewarm like she had never been. Anton looked at her beautiful face, stood still and answered with no change of expression: "Yes"

"Yes? So you think that is that simple?"

"I think so…" Anton said, he never felt so emotionless before. The woman's eyes got wet, "Do you think it is easy to take a life? You will torment your soul multiple times!" she said with a cracked voice, "Why not leave it to the Ministry of Magic, the Aurors!"

"He thrives from the idea of being tracked by the Ministry, he gambles and gets rich but nobody gets their hands on him! He is untouchable; he always finds a way to escape!" Anton said, defending himself.

"Always… How many times did you see him? You just encountered him for once! How can you be so sure? You are trying to sell my information to me! Are you aware of this?"

Anton looked at her, his manner was expressing he was considering her words. "You may be right, but I cannot let the truth go away. He will never surrender to the Aurors without a fight… Most likely a fight to death… If he dies, I won't be able to discover the truth" he said.

"What truth?" she asked with a deepened voice, she was strong and prevented herself from crying.

"He made a deal with my father about retrieving his winning prizes when my father prepared them, but with an unexpected act, he came and asked for money. He said he needed it and as you know the events led to murder…"

The blonde woman held Anton's hand within hers, "I know you are in a terrible pain, you are over encumbered with the burden of your grief. But we both know you will kill him after you're done with him" she said, "Don't embrace your darkness, please…"

"How come do you know I will win?"

"I… I can tell by your determination. Compared to his issues, you're just focused on defeating him. One way or another you may succeed, but this can't be your remedy to cure your spiritual wounds. Furthermore…" she released her grip, stood up suddenly and ran to a door behind the bar.

Anton chased her; she shut the door behind her. She shouted: "Please leave me alone! Please!" Anton drew his wand, pointed the door and whispered "Alohomora". The door didn't budge; Anton lost his temper and pointed the wall "REDUCTO!"

A hole was created with a loud collapsing. He passed through, the blonde woman was crying. She was too frail and defenseless. Anton pointed his wand to her, "Furthermore?" he asked, "I wasn't aware that you are an oracle…"


End file.
